Jolly, 42, joins a field that already has Republicans Lt. Gov. Carlos López-Cantera, U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis of Ponte Vedra Beach and former Green Beret Todd Wilcox of Orlando. That corner of the peninsula was instead included in Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor’s Tampa-based district, which is mostly in another county across the water.
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Jolly, who was elected to Congress last year in a high-profile battle with Democrat Alex Sink, offered a conservative message in announcing his Senate bid, saying the “time to reclaim America begins right here, right now”.
Jolly will be launching his campaign at the Republican Club of Greater Largos meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, July 20, at Alfanos Restaurant, 1702 Clearwater Largo Road in Clearwater.
Florida Congressman David Jolly announced Monday that he’s running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Marco Rubio, who is running for president, and former Gov. Charlie Crist said he’s eyeing Jolly’s seat.
Early polls, however, point to a wide-open race, with voters knowing relatively little about the candidates.
Charlie Crist may have another run in him next year.
Jolly is not the only GOP congressman vying for Rubio’s seat.
Without an incumbent and potentially a more favorable electorate, Jolly’s congressional seat could be an easy grab for Democrats.
Jolly went on to say he plans to run on a platform that will reject the politics of division and class warfare, reject the failed foreign policies that have projected only weakness and apology on the world stage, and embrace a new economy founded on the principle that individuals and families, not government bureaucrats, create success.
Jolly’s current Pinellas County district is expected to be recontoured when the Legislature meets in coming weeks to redraw congressional district boundaries, as ordered by the Florida Supreme Court.
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The court stopped just short of specifically and clearly ordering the Legislature to redraw the 13th District to include the southeastern corner of the Pinellas County peninsula.
